Shadowstripe's Treachery

Chapter 6

((^^Littlepaw^^))

That night, everything was chaotic. Duskheart and Badgerclaw picked up Firestorm and Sharppaw's bodies, while Birchstar carried the still unconscious Cinderpaw back through the forest. Once they reached camp, loud wails of surprise and grief filled the air once more. Whispermoon, who was Cinderpaw and Sharppaw's mother, burst out of the nursery.

"My kits! What happened to my kits?!" She cried hysterically. She struggled to run, since her belly was swollen with her second litter on the way.

Her cry brought out more cats from their nests. Juniperheart and Scarface grumpily emerged from the elder's den, with Juniperheart complaining the most. "I don't care how interesting the gathering was! Can't everyone just-" she became silent when Scarface pointed with his tail to the two bodies lying in the middle of camp.

Cinderpaw, still in the jaws of Birchstar, was on the verge of consciousness and he was muttering incoherently. The only words that were close to being understandable were, "Firestorm," and "Goodbye." The ash colored apprentice writhed around as if he was trying to wake himself up, but he eventually became limp again.

Duststrike, Cinderpaw's father, solemnly padded up to Birchstar. Shadowpaw watched, feeling something awful twisting at his stomach. It seemed as if a huge rock had started to form inside of him as he looked at the almost lifeless form of Cinderpaw. He almost felt bad for him.

Russetleaf pushed past him as she hastily padded over to Cinderpaw, her jaws filled with awful smelling herbs. He recognized one of them from when he was a kit. That must be comfrey root! He thought to himself. He shot a glance towards the dark medicine cat den, I wonder if those deathberries are in there... he shuddered at the thought.

Once Russetleaf had taken Cinderpaw into her den, Birchstar cleared his throat. "We will sit vigil for Sharppaw and Firestorm tonight. Firestorm was an honorable warrior, and Sharppaw was a fine apprentice. They will both be missed greatly."

The apprentices sat in a group around their old friend. They huddled together to try and keep warm against the harsh leaf bare wind that was starting to blow. Shadowpaw hesitantly padded over to them and sat down stiffly, staring blankly at the dead apprentice.

Littlepaw sighed shakily, his round, yellow eyes filled with grief. "I just feel terrible, you know?" He sniffled, "Like....I could have done something to prevent his death. I should've paid more attention while on the patrols." He closed his eyes.

Oakpaw nodded, "I totally agree with you... I feel so guilty, don't you guys?"

Everyone seemed to nod except Shadowpaw, not really... he thought. I don't feel bad at all. Sharppaw was never nice to me anyways, so it's not like I ever cared for him.

His sister had also not responded, but Shadowpaw was sure it was for a different reason. She hadn't taken her eyes off the medicine cat den since Russetleaf had taken Cinderpaw in there. Shadowpaw rolled his eyes, what's so great about stupid Cinderpaw anyways?

Shadowpaw kept his distance from the closely huddled apprentices; he never felt as if he was welcome in that group. He shivered as the wind ruffled his fur and he hunched his shoulders. No matter what he tried, he couldn't keep himself warm. When he saw that no one was watching, he quickly made his way over to the apprentices den and curled up in his soft nest.

"Now that's more like it," he sighed happily. Sharppaw probably wouldn't have wanted me to sit at his vigil anyways... and with that thought, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

***

"Shadowpaw... hey, Shadowpaw! Wake up!" Whispered a barely audible voice.

Shadowpaw groaned and squinted his eyes open. He yawned and stretched out his paws. That was the best sleep that he had gotten in a long time.